"At home while you can." Discursive construction of home attachment in elderly people

Abstract

The bond established between older people and their homes is a central concern in psychology. This study approaches to the phenomenon through discourse analysis on how place attachment is attributed to telecare users in Spain. The aim is to offer an approach to how place attachment is produced through talk during given interactions. The data come from a series of focus groups conducted in Catalonia (Spain). Three topics are derived from the analysis. The definition of home attachment as the desire to remain at home in old age is predominant. The analysis focuses in such a topic. The meanings associated to it is deepened, highlighting the discursive strategies with which two groups of actors produce it. Attention is drawn to both the interpretive repertoires integrating such strategies and their discursive functions.